Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

Xiao Li responded and left, nimbly crossing the alleyway to deliver the message.

He Yuzhu was tidying up the stove when he heard this, and his mind immediately cleared up—it was done. With Director Wang's help, the matter was settled.

He quickly steamed several bowls of meat dishes, covered the steamer, and left them steaming.

The two apprentices can handle this kind of follow-up work.

Today, he didn't dawdle much, clocked out on time, and strolled out of the factory gate with his hands behind his back.

As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, he caught a glimpse of Madam Jia sitting on the threshold. She lifted her eyelids and a smug smile appeared on her lips, her gaze piercing him like nails.

He Yuzhu didn't even glance at her, only sneering inwardly: "Old hag, you'll be crying tonight."

Director Wang always holds large meetings around 7 a.m. – the time when news spreads fastest, right after people have finished eating and haven't even gone to bed yet.

After everyone finished dinner, some were washing pots and pans, while others were playing with the children and chatting. The courtyard was bustling with activity when Director Wang led Xiao Li into the No. 95 courtyard.

"Oh! Director Wang? What a rare guest!"

Yan Bugui, with his sharp eyes, spotted the figure as soon as he peeked out from the front yard. He immediately greeted the figure with a smile, "Is there something important to announce?"

"Teacher Yan," Director Wang said calmly, "go and inform everyone in the front, middle, and back courtyards to have a meeting in the middle courtyard."

"Okay, sure!" Yan Bugui replied readily, but his heart skipped a beat; he had a gut feeling that something was wrong. "Director Wang, could you... could you give me a heads-up first? What's the matter?"

Director Wang glanced at him sideways, his gaze steady yet unyielding: "You'll find out soon enough."

Hurry up, don't waste time, finish quickly so we can all leave.

After saying that, Yan Bugui dared not ask any more questions and turned around to run to call for help.

When Liu Haizhong was called out, he muttered, "What's going on? Why didn't they tell me beforehand that there was a big meeting? Didn't they even notify me, their great-uncle?"

Upon hearing that it was Director Wang who had come in person, his expression immediately changed, and he urged the people in the backyard to assemble immediately.

Before long, the courtyard was filled with people, a dense crowd, with even a few people squatting on the wall to watch the excitement.

Director Wang stood in the center, looking around with a sharp gaze that swept across every face.

"Your courtyard really makes me proud," she said coldly. "I come here more often than I do district meetings! Tell me, do you know why I'm here today?"

The audience was silent.

No one dared to speak—Director Wang's face was ashen; he clearly came with a vengeance.

"Spreading rumors? Do you even know what spreading rumors means?" Her voice suddenly rose. "And you're gossiping about government officials behind their backs! How many times have I told you? If there's a conflict, find someone in charge to mediate! If they can't handle it, come to the neighborhood committee! But you all, you cause trouble in private, stab each other in the back, do you think I'm just a decoration?"

"Fine! Since you won't come to me, I'll come to you myself! Today, I've come specifically to mediate between you!"

Before she could finish speaking, she raised her finger, and three names came crashing down:

"Yang Ruihua! Zhang Xiaohua! Sun Lanfang! And He Yuzhu—you four, step forward!"

He Yuzhu didn't even frown, he just stood up and was completely at ease.

The other three felt their hearts pound and their faces turned pale instantly.

Jia Zhangshi stood frozen in place, the three aunts lowered their heads and didn't move, and Sun Lanfang's hands and feet went weak.

Little did they expect that this matter would alarm Director Wang and even lead to an investigation into them.

Yan Bugui hurriedly interjected, "Director Wang, what... what exactly happened?"

"What is it?" Director Wang swept his gaze coldly over the crowd. "Mediate first! Everyone, step forward immediately! Don't force me to call you a second time!"

That shout sent shivers down people's spines.

Who in Nanluoguxiang doesn't know the power of Director Wang? She's been in charge of this area for over a decade; a single word from her can promote or destroy someone.

The three of them finally couldn't hold on any longer and moved out one by one, heads down, their breathing becoming lighter.

"Fine." Director Wang nodded coldly. "Now, each of you, explain yourselves clearly—what exactly is your conflict with He Yuzhu? Tell me, and I'll judge for you! But let me make this clear beforehand—don't try to fool me! I already had Xiao Li investigate this afternoon, and I know everything!"

These words sent chills down the spines of the three men.

Yan Bugui stood to the side, his mind exploding with shock—oh no, all of Yang Ruihua's gossip had probably been leaked!

Those things that can't be brought to the forefront—like deliberately locking the door at night, the disputes over Old Lady Li's house—once exposed, the Yan family becomes the target of public criticism!

Director Wang's gaze sharpened, and he abruptly pointed at Jia Zhangshi: "Zhang Xiaohua, you speak first! What grudge do you have against He Yuzhu? I'll make a fair judgment on who's right and who's wrong! If you're not satisfied, you can appeal to a higher authority; I won't stop you!"

Jia Zhangshi's lips trembled; how could she dare to speak carelessly? If she said that the He family didn't let her smell the meat they ate, Director Wang would surely scold her to death on the spot.

"Director Wang...no...there's no conflict..."

"No conflict?" Director Wang sneered. "No conflict, yet you're badmouthing them behind their backs? Once wasn't enough, twice? Three times? Yang Ruihua! Sun Lanfang! You two stop playing dumb! Stand up! Tell me! What are you after?"

Each word was sharper than the last, each syllable like a whip.

The three of them shuddered, cold sweat trickling down the back of their necks.

They finally realized—this time, they'd kicked a hornet's nest.

The three women stammered, their voices weak: "Director Wang, we didn't...we didn't really slander anything..."

"Don't give me that!" Director Wang sneered, his gaze sweeping over her like a knife scraping her face. "That girl who came today was personally sent to the factory by me! You think I dare to hold a meeting here without evidence? Dream on!"

Upon hearing this, the three of them immediately fell silent.

It wasn't that she regretted speaking ill of He Yuzhu, but rather that she was filled with deep regret—why did Director Wang have to catch her red-handed?

"Speechless now?" Director Wang put his hands on his hips, raising his voice, "Silence means you're guilty! I think you're all just bored out of your minds, doing nothing but these crooked tricks all day! Do you know what the crime is for unjustly slandering state officials? At best, you'll get a public reprimand; at worst, you'll be sent to the police station!"

She pointed at the three of them, her tone sharp as a whip: "Look what you've done! He Yuzhu is working himself to the bone at the factory, contributing to the country, and what are you doing? Gossiping behind his back, pulling him down, you only feel satisfied when he's brought down, don't you?"

This harsh reprimand lasted for a good ten minutes.

A group of people gathered in the courtyard, all holding their breath and listening intently, no one daring to interrupt.

The three people's heads drooped lower and lower, almost burying themselves in the cracks in the ground.

Actually, it wasn't just the three of them who were gossiping behind her back, but Director Wang knew what was going on—his niece only remembered these three names, and making an example of them was the most effective way to deter others.

Arrest them all? That would only create more chaos.

"Apologize to He Yuzhu now! Immediately! Right now!" Director Wang's command shook the rooftops.

"Apologize?" Jia Zhangshi's expression immediately changed, her face full of resentment. "Director Wang, I'm an elder..."

Before he could finish speaking, Director Wang's eyebrows shot up, and he exploded: "Elder? You dare call yourself an elder? You're not even a neighbor! You're a menace! Didn't you hear a word I said? Trying to intimidate people with your seniority? Bah! Someone with that kind of character doesn't deserve to be called an elder!"

Suddenly, someone in the crowd shouted, "Mom!"

Yi Zhonghai suddenly stood up, his face ashen, and yelled at Jia Zhangshi, "Jia Zhangshi! What are you trying to prove? Quickly apologize to Zhuzi! Can't you understand human language?!"

Jia Zhangshi choked, a breath stuck in her chest, and anger surged within her—wasn't this all your idea? She opened her mouth to expose you: "Yi..."

"Mom! Stop talking!" Jia Dongxu grabbed her sleeve abruptly, sweat beading on his forehead. "Apologize now! Hurry up!"

He knew perfectly well that if he exposed his master, Yi Zhonghai, the entire Jia family would collapse! Now he had no choice but to bear the consequences himself and insist on not implicating anyone else!

After being yelled at by her son, Jia Zhangshi finally came to her senses—this was Director Wang's territory, not a place for her to throw a tantrum.

She shrank back, turned to He Yuzhu with a disheveled look on her face, and whispered in a voice barely audible, "I'm sorry... I was wrong..."

"Speak louder! Who can hear what you're saying?" Director Wang interrupted coldly.

Madam Jia trembled, then shouted as if she were about to give up, "I'm sorry! I was wrong! I shouldn't have slandered you behind your back!"

The shout echoed throughout the courtyard, startling even the old man sunbathing by the wall next door, who sat up straight.

Immediately afterwards, Yang Ruihua and Sun Lanfang had no choice but to bite the bullet and step forward to admit their mistake.

The image of the three of them lining up to apologize became the hottest topic of conversation that day.

This time, I've completely lost face.

They can pretend nothing's wrong if they whisper a few words in private, but now they're kneeling and begging for mercy in broad daylight. For the next four or five days, they probably won't even dare to leave the house.

Director Wang looked around and said coldly, "Alright, you've admitted your mistakes. Now I'll talk about the punishment."

She paused, her tone turning serious: "The Yan family, the Jia family, the Sun family—for the next six months, the neighborhood committee will not assign you any odd jobs! Anyone wanting to earn extra money? No way!"

Upon hearing this, both families felt a pang of anxiety.

These odd jobs may seem insignificant, but for people who are semi-idle at home, they represent real income.

Pasting matchboxes, wrapping tea bags, sewing insoles... If you work hard for a day, you can earn three or four cents, and ten or eight dollars a month is not a problem.

Not receiving any for six months is equivalent to losing over sixty yuan, enough to buy two bags of flour.

However, Jia Zhangshi didn't care—she had never bothered with such things. She usually sewed shoe soles and bought scraps of cloth to supplement her family's income, and she didn't rely on charity from the neighborhood committee.

But the next second, Director Wang spoke again, his words piercing to the heart:

"There are also individual punishments: Jia Zhangshi, you'll be responsible for cleaning the public toilets outside for a month! Yang Ruihua and Sun Lanfang, you two will take turns sweeping the streets, and you must finish before 6 a.m. every day. Xiao Li will check daily!"

"What?!" Jia Zhangshi jumped up and down on the spot. "Why am I the one who cleans the toilets? Who can stand the smell! I'm busy from morning till noon and I still can't finish cleaning them!"

"Oh?" Director Wang narrowed his eyes, his tone suddenly turning cold. "You're not happy? Fine, I'll issue you a return-home certificate right now."